Description
Ritz cracker chicken combines crispy crackers with tender chicken for a delightful Southern-style main dish. Crunchy coating and juicy meat make this simple recipe a family favorite that you’ll want to add to your weekly menu.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (226 g / 8 oz) crushed Ritz crackers
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F, positioning rack in the center for optimal heat distribution.
- Coating Creation: Pulverize Ritz crackers into fine crumbs, blending with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a wide, shallow dish to create a flavorful breading mixture.
- Egg Dipping: Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined, forming a smooth binding agent for the cracker coating.
- Chicken Coating: Dredge each chicken breast in whisked eggs, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully press into the seasoned cracker mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Baking Process: Arrange cracker-coated chicken in a baking dish, strategically placing butter cubes around the pieces to infuse moisture and enhance flavor during roasting.
- Cooking and Finishing: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the exterior turns golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from oven and let rest briefly to redistribute juices, then serve with the melted butter drizzled over the top for an extra layer of richness.
Notes
- Optimize Cracker Coating: Crush Ritz crackers finely and evenly to ensure a consistent, crispy texture that adheres perfectly to the chicken.
- Prevent Moisture Loss: Pat chicken breasts dry before dipping in eggs to help the coating stick better and maintain maximum juiciness during baking.
- Temperature Precision: Use a meat thermometer to accurately check the internal chicken temperature, avoiding overcooking while ensuring food safety.
- Cracker Coating Variations: Experiment with different seasoned crackers or add herbs like parsley, thyme, or rosemary to the crumb mixture for enhanced flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 508
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 912 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 144 mg